Sustained exercise augments long-term starvation increases in plasma growth hormone in the steelhead trout, Salmo gairdneri

Abstract

During the increased locomotor activity of migration many salmonids do not actively feed and it is likely that metabolic alterations occur to facilitate the mobilization of stored reserves. The present laboratory study was designed to simulate the occurrence of exercise and starvation as natural parameters of migration and to assess the effects of such parameters on levels of plasma growth hormone, which might indicate alterations in metabolism during migration. Juvenile steelhead trout, Salmo gairdneri, were starved for a 30-day period. Starved individuals exhibited a marked increase in plasma growth hormone concentration (38.6 ± 6.7 ng/mL) compared with control individuals held on a normal feeding regime (6.4 ± 1.84 ng/mL). A subgroup of fish from the starved group were exercised by being forced to swim at 1.5 body lengths/s for a 24-h period. Exercised individuals exhibited plasma growth hormone levels in excess of 140 ng/mL. There was no significant difference between the plasma growth hormone levels of unexercised starved fish and exercised fed fish.